Your Daily Bamboo Fly Rod

I suppose that over the last 30 years, since I started making bamboo rods, my taste and specific rod-making practices have not really changed dramatically. One of my subscribers asked me the other day, "If I could make myself a rod that I would fish daily, what would it be?" I suppose this everyday rod would typically fall into a “signature” rod category, but honestly, there are too many rods within that spectrum to address such a specific question. There is an overabundance of semantics and lore in the bamboo world, but, honestly, there is a genuine simplicity that is glaringly overlooked. These are tools made specifically for fishing, and to answer such a question, we have to be mindful of a rod's very purpose.

I had an art instructor at Art Center College of Design back in the 80's ask me this, “Clint, what is your best brush?” I quickly pulled out an expensive red sable brush in perfect condition and waved it at him. My instructor said, “You're very wrong.” I looked at him like he was crazy. He then reached for one of my most beat-up hog bristle brushes that looked like I had gnawed on it as a last resort midnight snack. He said, “This is your best brush.” “It is your most loved and well-used brush; it is a brush that has built your confidence in what you do, that is why it is your best brush.” I never forgot that moment.

 The notion that your best tool is the very one you reach for the most and rely upon daily. You have confidence in it, and it is always there for you. My brush story is the best metaphor I can think of, but honestly, I think of my art instructor every time I fish with a little cane rod of mine. Which brings us back to the original question. My daily bamboo fly rod that I reach for more often than not is a little well-worn, well-loved 7'3" 3/4 weight 3pc. that I made some time ago. It has been part of many meaningful memories and continues to be. It is a trusted tool. It can handle many leader lengths and fly patterns. I can change it up depending on the season, and it has been a very precise instrument in a pinch. Most importantly, it brings me joy and confidence when I fish with it.

Keep sending me questions, and I hope to answer them in the written word. I'm not a YouTube guy primarily because it would take up a ton of mind space and creative time for me. Honestly, I'm not very technically savvy when it comes to videography. I enjoy writing daily primarily because my mother, an English teacher, encouraged me to write as a child. Needless to say, I enjoy the quiet downtime and a cup of coffee in the morning to address my thoughts.

Thanks for letting me share.   ~Clint Bova

www.cjbovarods.com

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